Gardens by the Bay’s Tulipmania returns for 9th edition; features Turkish tulips, art pieces till May 21

From now till May 21, tulips from Türkiye are on display at the Flower Dome in Gardens By The Bay. 

This year’s Tulipmania – the ninth edition – will feature 30 varieties of tulips, including three from Türkiye. It’s the first time the floral display will take on a Turkish theme. 

Among the three Tulip varieties cultivated from native species of Türkiye is the Tulipa acuminata, which has long, pointed petals that are a mixture of red and yellow. Similar varieties with this unique form in this year’s Tulipmania include the Tulipa Go Go Red and Tulipa Fly Away. 

Crown tulips, which are recognisable by its crown-shaped flowers, are also on display at Tulipmania for the first time.

Other florals include the standard tulips and lily-flowered tulips such as the Tulipa Arjuna and Tulipa Flashback.

Complementing the tulips at Tulipmania are blooms native to Türkiye, such as hyacinths and fritillarias. The flowers are on display from now till May 21.

Apart from the floral displays, some of Türkiye’s landscapes from across the country have also been recreated in the Flower Dome.

These include the Galata Tower, one of the oldest towers in the world and an icon in the city of Istanbul, and the Library of Celsus, which is one of the last remaining great libraries from the Roman period.

Safranbolu houses are available for visitors to experience what it is like to be inside an Ottoman-era home and marvel at traditional Ottoman civil architecture.

Visitors can also expect to see nine hot air balloons decorating the area which are reminiscent of the scenic Cappadocia region. A 6m-tall hot air balloon is placed at the entrance of Flower Dome, from where visitors can enjoy the view of the floral display.

There will also be a curated exhibition of traditional Turkish art pieces in Flower Dome’s Mediterranean Garden. These art pieces are on loan from the Turkish embassy and specially shipped from Türkiye. 

Art forms such as Iznik ceramics, copper works, and kilim rugs, many of which are adorned with botanical motifs like tulips, are featured at the exhibition. 

Craft workshops will be held as well. Visitors can get to create their own tulip earrings or paint their own Zentangle tulip on a diatomite coaster with additional fees. 

Gardens By The Bay is also holding a social media contest where a pair of return air tickets to Istanbul, sponsored by Turkish Airlines, is up for grabs. Participants can simply take photos together with their favourite tulip and share them on Instagram with the hashtags #gardensbythebay, #TulipmaniaGBB, and #TurkishAirlines. 

The contest is open throughout the duration of the exhibition. 

Admission into the Flower Dome is ticketed. An adult ticket costs $12, while a senior and children ticket is priced at $8.